Two great men who are now working well together. Or, their legacies are, at least.
Photo courtesy Strange de Jim
Saturday was the grand re-opening of the Castro’s public library branch, named the Eureka Valley Harvey Milk Branch and situated on the renamed block of 16th Street at Pond Street now known as Jose Sarria Court.
If Harvey Milk blazed a trail for other gays to follow in his activist steps, José Sarria blazed an earlier trail that allowed Harvey Milk to get traction in the 70s here in San Francisco.
The dedication was well-attended and after all the City officials weighed in to say their bits and thank yous, the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence gave a blessing - sprinkling the sidewalk in front with Milk and Glitter. And the ribbon was cut, and we all crowded in.
Reporter Matthew Bajko for The BAR writes that the mural memorializing Harvey Milk on the south wall of the Duboce Park rec center is being painted over in a few weeks. The City is in the process of renovating the rec center, and the mural has faded over the (20) years since it was installed in 1988.
“… in 1988 muralist Johanna Poethig unveiled her famous Harvey Milk mural. On her Web site she describes the mural as Milk “painted in his victory pose on top of the image of himself dressed as a clown, with his beloved dog in the foreground. The other figures represent the activities at the recreation center.”
The naming of the building and the mural are believed to be the first public tributes to Milk after his death. Poethig and friends of the slain supervisor said this week they are saddened by the mural’s demise.”
New art installations are planned at the site. More here….
Some video footage of the Castro transformed for the upcoming Harvey Milk film has found its way to YouTube. Sean Penn and Emile Hirsch can be seen briefly. Catch the dialogue of the friends who are shooting this (and trying not to be noticed) as they muse about Sean Penn and his history of assaulting papparazzi, and then later wondering out loud who Cleve Jones (played by Emile Hirsh) is. Wow I really hope this doesn’t bring the ‘Fro back.
